Apple and Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash

Description

Adapted from downshiftology.com

This dish is bursting with flavor, from the warm spices of the sausage to the bright and mellow flavors of the apple and roasted squash, it’s a real crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

  • 2-1/2 pound butternut squash, halved and seeded
  • 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 pound or 1 large link Italian sausage, mild or hot
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups (lightly packed) baby spinach, finely chopped
  • 1 apple, diced
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
  • 1/2 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries, unsweetened
  • 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
  • 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon melted butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
  2. Slice the butternut squash in half with a very sharp knife. Scoop the seeds out of the butternut squash with a spoon. Lightly oil the butternut squash and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Lay butternut squash, cut side down, on a baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes.
  4. While the butternut squash is cooking, remove sausage from its casing and the meat to a sauté pan on medium heat. Use a wooden spatula to break up the sausage and cook until it's just browned.
  5. Add the onions, garlic and baby spinach to the sausage pan and stir for 2-3 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted.
  6. Add the apple, sage and rosemary and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the apple has softened slightly.
  7. Turn off the heat and stir in the cranberries, pecans, and walnuts.
  8. When the butternut squash halves are cooked through, remove them from the oven, flip them over and remove some of the flesh (but leave plenty to enjoy!) to make room for the filling. Save this removed flesh and turn it into mashed butternut squash to enjoy later!
  9. Fill the butternut squash with the apple sausage filling.
  10. Turn the top broiler on the oven and bake the filled butternut squash for 5 minutes, or until they're golden on top. Drizzle with melted butter and serve immediately.